This time of year is hard for me. Even with the holidays on their way, its cold. I don’t go outside as much. Its friggin dark. I shut down a little more every day. I get S.A.D. Basically, I have the Blah-de-Blahs.

I write this creative journal to regress. And I think you should regress, too. I write to encourage you to get back into the mindset of your 5-year-old self for just a few moments. Because that is when most of us were the least inhibited by responsibility, by the pain of comparing ourselves to our cohorts, or by rules and social norms.

I’m not writing because I’m a craft-o-maniac DIY mom blogger but because I have glimpsed the value of, for just a few minutes, being able to stop the mind-grinding, butt-numbing machine that my adult brain has become. I let it out for recess and you know what? It comes back smiling, flushed with new ideas and ready to get back to work without arguing or moping.

Last week I did an informal survey of some of my friends and acquaintances (thank you- you know who you are). I’ve asked them what helps them keep their creative juices flowing. Here are a few of their amazing cures for the blah-de-blahs:

1. Get Outside. Many responders said that taking in a little fresh air and a change of scenery is a necessity for being inspired.
2. Take a Shower. This one was a little unexpected, but it makes sense – you change up your surroundings and do something to care for yourself (i.e. grooming) and you are ready to to start anew.
3. Step AWAY from the Computer. This one is SUPER tough for me. My whole sense of productivity and a lot of positive feedback is tied up in the digital world, so when I can wrench myself away for a few moments, it helps me gain perspective and insight and brings me back into the present moment. Ahhh!
4. Sleep. More than a few people I consulted say that their best ideas and solutions come to them in their sleep. And of course, we get to visit our subconscious (I’ve heard that kids live in their subconscious mind all the time. More regression- Wahoo!)
5. Invite a Hero to Tea.   Surrounding yourself with people who inspire you is a sure way to cure the blahs, ‘osmosis-style’. Invite someone you admire to hang out. Hint: Kids can be great mentors, and absorbing some of their lack of restraint can be just the ticket to inspire!
6. Make Toilet Paper Tube Art. Ok, this one is my contribution. But doing creative things like you did in kindergarten helps you regress, detach from your adult responsibilities for a few minutes, and ban the blah-de-blahs with a little perspective.

There they sit, useless once the paper is gone, a perfect cylindrical shape ready to be molded into your pièce de résistance. Don’t waste those off-cast bland-colored wiper rolls… they can have a second life and be made into more than just a holder for your bum tissue.

Don’t balk- taking time to create something from such mediocrity has been know to cure the blahs…

Ornaments

1. Cut the tubes into 4 pieces (don’t worry if you squish them- they will likely be pinched into an ‘eye shape’ for your creation anyway).
2. Glue the tube pieces together any way you like. I used a hot glue gun from my Holiday Wish List to stick them together so I don’t have to wait for elmer’s glue to dry. I tend to go for the floral arrangement, but they can be made into wreaths, spirals, or even a ginormous moon!
3. Tie on a string, piece of raffia, or an ornament hook to hang them.
4. If you have more than 15 minutes, you can paint them with dots, lines or make them solid. I used some glitter glue to glitz up one of mine.

If ornaments aren’t your thing, check out this Thanksgiving Toilet Paper Tube Turkey.

And if you are really ambitious (and good at collecting toilet paper tubes), you could make a bigger piece like this moon I did for my bathroom.

I want to hear from you… what helps you kick the blahs? Leave a comment below!

1. Its easy to get the ‘blahs’ when the days get shorter and colder, but fret not! You are not alone.
2. Regressing is a great way to break from the weight of the world and taking time to create opens up a channel to your inner child.
3. When you are getting together with family this Thanksgiving, take some toilet paper tubes, scissors and glue. Its always so easy to regress when you are with family (maybe leave out the hair pulling and biting, though).